News Roundup: September 20, 2013

Filed Under “Disorderly Livestock”
It was reported last week that a wild Australian pig stole 18 beers from nearby campers. In a drunken stupor, the pig then proceeded to pick a fight with a cow in an adjacent pasture. The pig was seen later, sleeping off the hangover and shame, under a tree.
Meanwhile in Sitka Alaska, multiplenoise violations have been registered with the local authorities over the late night ruckus from a local rooster.Science News!
This week, engineers successfully undertook the task of raising the Costa Concordiafrom the rocky reef that it rammed into back in January of last year.
A study released this week unveiled the discovery that there is a genetic link between hyperactivity and inner ear problems. The team discovered that a mutation in the gene called SLC12A2 can disrupt protein production that, depending on where the mutation takes place, can cause inner ear problems or hyperactivity in the brain.
Scientists are now gearing up for the next stage in research in their ambitious quest to understand dark energy. The Dark Energy Survey is a five year study that will utilize the 570 megapixel Dark Energy Camera found at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in high up in the Andes Mountains of Chile.
Meanwhile closer to home, PBS NewsHour is revealing a series of stories that look at the science and impacts of climate change as it is affecting the Alaska landscape.Closer to Home
In other news on the Alaska landscape, Anglo Saxon announced this week that it was officially pulling out of its involvement with the Pebble Partnership. This leaves Canadian owned Northern Dynasty as the primary investor in the controversial gold and rare minerals mine. Northern Dynasty stock fell 30 percent the day after the announcement.
It was announced this week that Juneau’s Alaskan Hotel and Bar would be participating in the Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible television program. The Hotel, a popular destination during Folk Fest, will close for a week on Tuesday while the producers undertake the daunting task of saving the historic hotel. It’s unclear what this will mean for Juneau’s displaced hippie population.
In other “unwanted property” news, Alaska’s largest organic potato farm failed to sell at a public auction held in Fairbanks on Tuesday. The 1,134 acre farm drew an initial interest of 1,500 people, but few followed through with their interest when the bidding opened.The Bigger Picture
Al Jazeera America reported on Tuesday that the employment gap between the rich and poor has hit a 10 year high. Unemployment in low income families has hit a whopping 21 percent while high income families have an unemployment rate of just 3.2 percent.
The situation in Syria has been tense in recent weeks, but at least diplomatic relations with Iran are actually improving. President Obama and President Hassan Rouhani have been successfully pen palling each other, which may be the first time communications have been reciprocated between the two governments.
Meanwhile in Sweden, public masturbation was declared (sort of) legal in a monumental court case. The courts found that masturbation in public did not constitute “molestation” as it was originally prosecuted, since it was a one man act. But before you go whipping out your one eyed trouser snake on a Swedish beach, beware. It can still be classified as “disorderly conduct”.﻿ Talking of Sweden – we were there on a trip once with my pals. We had to borrow money and got into a little trouble, called pengar there – when we got home our parents were quite pissed.